Collecting information from respondents to supply back to originators

Abstract

A distribution server ( 131 ) collects information from respondents ( 103 ) so as to supply the information back to originators ( 102 ). Details of a form and a list of potential respondents are received from a plurality of originators ( 102, 109 ). A plurality of individual invitations based on a respective list for each of the plurality of originators is constructed by the server. Each invitation is supplied to potential respondents ( 103 to 107 ) inviting the potential respondents to complete a form of the type generated by a respective originator. First responses are received by the server ( 131 ) from actual respondents, some of which affirm an acceptance to complete a form. The server ( 131 ) supplies a form to each of the actual respondents. Second responses are received from the actual responses containing response data. The response data is stored and stored data is returned to respective originators.

1 . Serving apparatus configured to collect information from respondents so as to supply said information back to originators, comprising 
 reception means for receiving details of a form and a list of potential respondents from a plurality of originators;    construction means for constructing a plurality of individual invitations based on a said list of potential respondents respectively for each of said plurality of originators; and    supply means for supplying each invitation to potential respondents inviting said potential respondents to complete a form of a type generated by a respective originator; wherein    said reception means receives first responses from actual respondents, some of which affirm an acceptance to complete a form;    said supply means supplies a displayable form to each of said actual respondents;    said reception means receives second responses from said actual respondents containing response data;    storage means stores said response data from respondents; and    return means returns collected information to respective originators.    
     
     
         2 . Serving apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein details of said second responses are stored in a database.  
     
     
         3 . Apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said database defines form components and the position of said components on a form.  
     
     
         4 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein individual invitations are constructed as plain text e-mails and/or HTML messages.  
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said supply means supplies a displayable form as a Java Applet.  
     
     
         6 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said supply means supplies a displayable form by incorporation of form related instructions within a FLASH file.  
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a list of potential respondents is read from an originator's database.  
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said return means returns collected information to originators as a single message containing response data from a plurality of respondents.  
     
     
         9 . Serving apparatus configured to collect information from respondents so as to supply said information back to originators, comprising 
 reception means for receiving details of an originator's form and a list of potential respondents;    construction means for constructing a plurality of individual invitations based on a said list of potential respondents; and    supply means for supplying an invitation to each potential respondent inviting said potential respondent to complete an originator's form or to express a desire to be excluded from subsequent distributions; wherein    said reception means receives first responses from first respondents affirming an acceptance to complete a form;    said supply means supplies a displayable form to each of said first respondents;    said reception means receives second responses from second respondents identifying a desire to be excluded; and    details of said second respondents are identified in an exclusion database.    
     
     
         10 . Apparatus according to  claim 9 , in which said exclusion database is interrogated before supplying invitations to potential respondents and potential respondents identified in said exclusion database are removed from said list.  
     
     
         11 . Serving apparatus configured to collect information from respondents, comprising 
 a receiver for receiving details of a form and a list of potential respondents;    a supplier for supplying a displayable form to each respondent as a FLASH presentation;    a receiver for receiving response data from said respondents after said respondents have completed a form; and    storage means for storing said response data.    
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said supply means sends an enquiry to a respondent, awaits a favourable response and then only transmits said displayable form if a favourable response is received.  
     
     
         13 . A method of collecting information from respondents so as to supply said information back to originators, comprising the steps of 
 receiving details of a form and a list of potential respondents from a plurality of originators;    constructing a plurality of individual invitations based on a respective list for each of said plurality of originators;    supplying each invitation to potential respondents inviting said potential respondents to complete a form of a type generated by a respective originator;    receiving first responses from actual respondents that affirm an acceptance to complete a form;    supplying data to allow a form to be displayed to each of said actual respondents;    receiving second responses from said actual respondents containing response data;    storing said response data from said actual respondents; and    returning said response data to respective originators.    
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein said received second responses are represented as database entries of a database.  
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein said database defines form components and the position of said components on a form.  
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein individual invitations are constructed as plain text e-mails and/or HTML messages.  
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein a displayable form is created as a Java Applet.  
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein a displayable form is created as a FLASH file.  
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein a list of potential respondents is read from an originator's database.  
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein collected information is returned to an originator as a single message containing response data from a plurality of respondents.  
     
     
         21 . A method of collecting information from respondents so as to supply said information back to originators, comprising 
 receiving details of an originator's form and a list of potential respondents;    constructing a plurality of individual invitations based on said list of potential respondents;    supplying an invitation to each potential respondent inviting said potential respondent to complete an originator's form or to express a desire to be excluded from subsequent distributions;    receiving first responses from first respondents affirming an acceptance to complete a form;    supplying a displayable form to each of said first respondents;    receiving second responses from second respondents identifying a desire to be excluded; and    identifying details of said second responses in an exclusion database.    
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein said exclusion database is interrogated before supplying invitations to potential respondents and potential respondents identified in said exclusion database are removed from said list.  
     
     
         23 . A method of collecting information from respondents so as to supply said information back to originators, comprising the steps of 
 receiving details of a form and a list of potential respondents;    supplying a displayable form to each respondent as part of a FLASH file;    receiving response data; and    storing said response data.    
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein an enquiry is sent to a respondent and a displayable form is only sent to said respondent if a favourable response is received from said enquiry.  
     
     
         25 . A computer readable medium having computer readable instructions executable by a computer such that, when executing said instructions, a computer will perform the steps of 
 receiving details of a form and list of potential respondents from a plurality of originators;    constructing a plurality of individual invitations based on a respective list for each of said plurality of originators;    supplying each invitation to potential respondents inviting said potential respondents to complete a form of a type generated by a respective originator;    receiving first responses from actual respondents that affirm an acceptance to complete a form;    supplying data to allow a form to be displayed to each of said actual respondents;    receiving second responses from said actual respondents containing response data;    storing said response data from said actual respondents; and    returning said response data to respective originators.    
     
     
         26 . A computer readable medium having computer readable instructions executable by a computer such that, when executing said instructions, a computer will perform the steps of 
 receiving details of an originator's form and a list of potential respondents;    constructing a plurality of individual invitations based on said list of potential respondents;    supplying an invitation to each potential respondent inviting said potential respondent to complete an originator's form or to express a desire to be excluded from subsequent distributions;    receiving first responses from first respondents affirming an acceptance to complete a form;    supplying a displayable form to each of said first respondents;    receiving second responses from second respondents identifying a desire to be excluded; and    identifying details of said second responses in an exclusion database;    
     
     
         27 . A computer readable medium having computer readable instructions executable by a computer such that, when executing said instructions, a computer will perform the steps of 
 receiving details of a form and a list of potential respondents;    supplying a displayable form to each respondent as part of a FLASH file;    receiving response data; and    storing said response data.    
     
     
         28 . A computer readable medium having computer readable instructions according to  claim 27 , such that when executing said instructions, a computer will also perform the step of sending an enquiry to a respondent and then only sending a displayable form to said respondent if a favourable response is received from said enquiry.